Summer in Scarsdale
by TakeALookattheInvisibleGirl
Summary: Roger, Mimi, Mark, April, Maureen, and Collins are all friends who are around 15 yrs old. School just let out for the summer, and Roger finds out april is using drugs, and gets interested in Mimi. much better than the summary. PLEASE READ!
1. Chapter 1

_RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING._

"Aw, finally, Man! We survived freshman year!" Roger said to Mark as they exited the last class of their freshman year in high school. "Summer's gonna ROCK!" He played air guitar.

"What are we gonna do first?" Mark asked, revealing to his best friend that he had no plans for summer.

"We're already campin' out with the girls and Tom tonight in the treehouse." Roger spoke of the treehouse that he, Mark, Tom (Collins), Maureen, Mimi, and April had all somehow managed to build in fifth grade in Mimi's backyard. It had become their hangout.

"Oh, yeah. Hey Tom!" Mark shouted upon discovering Tom Collins walking down the hall towards them.

"Heyyy, guys. You know what? I think summer's a great time to, ya know, reinvent myself. That's why I'm changing what I want people to call me. From now on, I'm going by 'Collins'."

"Tom, everybody's called you 'Tom' since kindergarten. You really think this'll catch on?" Roger asked him, raising his eyebrows.

"No. But it gives me something to do." Mark and Roger laughed and shook their heads.

"Hey Maureen!" Roger shouted through the crowded hallway.

"Hi, Roggy! Tonight's gonna be so much FUN!" Maureen said, jumping up and hugging him. She had a crush on him, and everyone knew it. She made no attempt to hide it, even though he was with April.

"Maureeeen...." He said in a warning tone. She stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed. "Heyyy, baby!" He said as April came up to them and he kissed her.

"Ugh, tomorrow I have to start Summer School, dammit!" She said.

"Well, that's what you get for making out with Roger when you should have been doing your homework." Mark teased. April hit him. "Ow."

"But he was making out with me, too!" April argued.

"Yeah, but after that I did my homework." Roger countered. April growled at him.

"Sure, throw your study habits at me, why don't you?" April said. Roger laughed and kissed her some more.

"Hey hey hey, what's new new new?"

"Mimi!" Mark said. She kissed him on the cheek and he turned red.

"Is there something involving you two that I should know about?" Roger said with an eyebrow raised. Mimi then kissed Collins, Maureen, April, and some random guy passing by them in the hall on the cheek.

"No." She chirped. Then she kissed Roger on the cheek too. April smacked her arm, then made out with him furiously. He jumped back, taken by surprise.

"Uhmmm, let's go outside." He told everyone. Lately he had been thinking about April and Mimi. He had realized that he had a lot more fun with April when they were just friends, and began fantasizing about Mimi. He planned to break up with April at some point over the summer. And he was sleeping over at Mimi's treehouse almost every night. Everybody loved Mimi's house. She had tons of junk food and the only time her parents were home was when she was in school-they both were police officers with the night/morning/weekend shift. Everyone followed Roger outside, where they talked for the next half hour till they went home.

______________________________________________________________________

"Hey guys." Mark said as he entered the treehouse with his stuff.

"Hey." everyone else said at slightly different times.

"You're late." Mimi said.

"You're the last one here." Roger said. "Except for April."

"Somebody say my name?" She asked as she poked her head into the door.

"Yeah. _Finally _we can start." Mimi said.

"Start what?" Mark asked, his eyes wide.

"This little... _game_ I planned." Mimi said with a mischievous smile.

"What _game_?" Roger asked suspiciously. Mimi reached behind her and pulled out a ketchup bottle.

"Spin the bottle." She said, smiling.

"I don't have to kiss them if it lands on To-- _Collins,_" Mark corrected himself, "Do I?"

"No. Only if it lands on a girl. If it doesn't, the person sitting next to you spins. Now sit boy-girl-boy-girl." Mimi ordered. Everyone did. "Who wants to spin first?" No one raised their hand. "Fine, I'll do it." She spun the bottle and it landed on Mark, who immediately flushed red.

"We don't have to--" He was cut off when Mimi lunged at him and kissed him. His cheeks turned purple.

"Mark, do I have to explain to her that that was your first kiss?" Roger asked jokingly.

"Really, Mark? That was your first kiss?" Mimi asked. "How did it feel?" Mark simply passed out. "Should we call 911?"

"No need." Roger said, throwing water on him. "There." He said as Mark staggered up, unable to speak. "I'll go next." Roger spun the bottle and it landed on April. "Makes sense." He crept across the circle and kissed her with ease.

"I'll go next." Collins said. He spun the bottle and it landed on Maureen. He kissed her, then leaned back on his hands, and muttered the word, "Delightful." Maureen blushed.

"I guess I'll go next." April said. She spun the bottle and it landed on Mimi. She immediately passed the bottle to her side, where Mark was sitting.

The game continued for twelve minutes until Roger spun and it landed on Mimi. "Meems, we don't have to--" She blushed. He scooted over to kiss her.

The instant their lips met, fireworks went off in Mimi's stomach and Roger's. _Wow._ They both thought, kissing each other furiously for about two minutes before April karate-chopped them apart. She sat back and folded her arms, then stared at Roger in contempt.

______________________________________________________________________

"April? APRIL!" Roger shouted. He had woken up in the middle of the night, only to find that April was missing. He heard a noise outside. Curious idiot that he was, he went outside to go see what it was. April was behind the treehouse, injecting something into her arm. It took a minute for Roger to see what she was doing. _SHIT. _He thought. _April's on drugs! And she's shooting up HERE? Oh God. She has really sunken to a new low. Why did I ever go out with her? What did I ever see in her? Oh, yeah. Big boobs. I am an idiot._

"Roger? Is that you?" April whispered into the night, sounding somewhat, well, drunk.

"April, what the hell are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"It looks like you're shooting up in a bush."

"Well, maybe I am."

"Why?"

"Because I want a little joy, Roger. You should try smack. It's niiiiiice......." That was when the drug really took affect. April's eyelids closed halfway and she stumbled around and grabbed on to Roger.

"Ugh, come on April. I'll carry you back up to the tree house." Roger picked April up like a baby and she attempted to kiss him.

"Baby, no." Roger said. "Not now."

April went limp. Roger carried her up to the treehouse, having little difficulty. He laid her on her sleeping bag and crawled back into his.

_My girlfriend is on drugs. _Roger thought. _I need to break up with her. I like Mimi, anyway. Tomorrow when I sleep over here again alone with her, I'll ask her what to do about April. Jeez, my life is not going well._

________________________________________________________________________

" 'Mkay, see ya tomorrow!" Mark shouted behind him the next morning as he rode his bike off.

"Bye!" Mimi and Roger shouted back. They were the only two left, and were planning to spend the day together before sleeping in the treehouse again that night.

"So whaddaya wanna do?" Roger asked Mimi.

"I dunno. Wanna watch tv?" She said back. Roger was like, her best friend. If she told him that she liked him, it would just complicate their friendship. He was with April. She sighed.

"Sure." They walked into the house. It was saturday, so neither of Mimi's parents were home. She turned on the tv. They watched in silence.

After about ten minutes, Mimi said, "Why are we watching this?"

"What, you don't like 'World's Funniest Ice Skating Accidents'?" Roger asked her jokingly.

"It's stupid." She changed the channel. Some silent movie came on. At least now they could talk more easily.

"What's the point of these silent movies anyway?" Roger asked.

"I have no idea." Mimi laughed. After a while, Roger grabbed her wrist and started stroking up and down her inner forearm.

"What are you doing?"

"Petting you."

"Well, stop." She laughed. "I'm not a dog; besides, that tickles."

"What tickles?" He asked, continuing to stroke her. She tried to squirm away, but he held her hand firmly.

"That! What you're doing!" She laughed, still trying to squirm.

"Oh, yeah?" Roger asked with his eyebrows raised and a mischievous smile. "What about THIS?" He began to squeeze her sides. She cracked up and tried to squirm away, but she couldn't move.

"ROGER!!!" She screamed, laughing. He quickly lowered himself onto her waist, squeezing her sides and poking her. She had had enough, so she decided to take him by surprise and buck him off.

"AHHH!!!" He yelled, falling off her onto the floor. She then realized she could get on top of him really easily. She did. This continued for like twenty more minutes until Roger was on top of Mimi for the fifth time.

"Want to stop torturing me now?" she laughed. He put a thoughtful look on his face, all the while keeping his knees on Mimi's elbows so she couldn't escape.

"No, not really." He said. She laughed. He _loved _her laugh. That's why he was doing this.

______________________________________________________________________

"Mimi, I have somethin' kinda personal to ask you." Roger said at around five in the treehouse.

"Yeah?"

"Well..... I found April shooting up in the bushes last night."

"Oh my God! _April_?"

"Yeah. I don't really like her anymore and I want to break up with her. How do I tell her?"

"Well, I'd hate to tell you what to do..." She joked. Everyone knew that Mimi was the biggest intermeddler in Scarsdale.

"Seriously, Meems! I don't know what to say to her!"

"Just be honest. Tell her that you aren't ok with dating people who do drugs, and that you wouldn't want to fake it with her."

"That is really good advice. Thanks Meems."

"You're welcome. And now I get to do something _I_ want."

"What?"

"RAWR!" She dove on top of him, pinning him to the ground. She smiled an _evil _smile. "Payback time, Roggy!"

"_AHHHHHHHHHHH_!!!!!!!" She grabbed his sides and started squeezing them, finding out he was ticklish in the _exact same places _as her. That had to be a sign, right?

______________________________________________________________________

"And..... that's Orion's Belt." Roger was sitting with Mimi on top of the treehouse, showing her different constellations. It was 12:36. _**(A/N: A very romantic time to anyone who has ever watched Sabrina the Teenage Witch :p)**_

"How do you know all these?" Mimi asked.

"Last year I went camping with Mark's family, and his dad forced us to learn them. He wouldn't let us get back in the car to go home until we named at least ten."

"Wow." She laughed.

"You see that over there?" He pointed. "That's the big dipper." She nodded. Then she shivered. Without a word, Roger took off his jacket _**(A/N: Same one used in the movie.)**_ and draped it over her. She yawned and put her head on his shoulder. She was still shivering. "Here. I'm warm." He put his arm around her. She moved in closer. He thought of picking her up, then immediately pushed the thought out of his head. When he realized she was still shivering, he thought, _She's cold. What do I have to lose?_ He picked her up like a baby and cradled her, trying to make her warm with his body. Her eyes shined in the moonlight. She instantly stopped shivering.

"Roger, what are you--"

"Shhhhh. You were cold. You didn't think I'd let you freeze, did you?" He said, smiling. She just smiled a little in response and leaned into his left shoulder, allowing herself to relax. He _really _loved her. He thought, _I should kiss her. NOW. No, it would just make everything weird. But if I don't go for it now, when would I? It's the perfect time. Moonlight, she's in my arms... I can't live forever like this. I'll just go for it. That one kiss we had at that spin the bottle game last night was AMAZING. She enjoyed it, too. _he thought. He leaned in over her, and was about to kiss her (unbeknownst to her, of course. She was looking the other way and would have been taken by surprise), until, at the last minute, he backed out. He tried to pass it off as shifting to make himself more comfortable, but he was really angry with himself.

_Why did I do that? I could've kissed her right there. God, I'm such an idiot._

He finally compromised with himself. He leaned forward and kissed her on her head. She looked up at him as he pulled back, moved so she was facing him, hooked her right arm around his neck and began to make out with him. _Ahhhhhhhhh._

_So she wanted to do it, too. _Roger thought, _Ok, alright. This might work out after all....._

________________________________________________________________________

_What do you think? I am starting this story but i will definetely keep updating my other story as well.... REVIEW, PLEEEEAAAASE! I have decided that until i get at least five more reviews in total on my other story and this, i will not update anymore. you don't even need an account! just REVIEWWWWWW!!!!!!_


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm cold. Let's go inside the treehouse." Mimi said to Roger as she pulled back after nearly fifteen minutes of making out.

" 'M'kay." He said drowsily. Mimi tried to get up to walk inside the treehouse, but Roger held her there.

"Roger, I--" She was cut off.

"Shhhhhh." He began to carry her back into the treehouse.

"I didn't know you were so strong." She said once they got back in the treehouse, surprised. Roger sat down against one of the walls. Mimi tried, once again to get up, but he held her there. She gasped a little.

Tonight, they decided to skip the sleeping bags, because they were uncomfortable. Instead, they had gone earlier into the house and pulled out an air mattress and a bunch of blankets, as well as a small portable tv.

Roger stood up and carried her over to the air mattress, gently putting her down. Mimi had never seen Roger act like such a romantic. Whenever he was around April, he was kind of hardheaded. He walked over to the small tv, and flipped to a movie. Indiana Jones, or maybe Batman. It was hard to tell.

He walked back to the air mattress, and sat down next to Mimi, once again scooping her up and cradling her. He was warm. Mimi smiled.

"You know, I think I can warm up to this whole, 'Never walking again because Roger insists on carrying me' thing." She smiled.

"You better." He smiled back, and then kissed her. "So, do I have to ask _after _I break up with April, or can I ask now?"

"After. April is still one of my best friends and I don't you want to hurt her."

"Fine. You complicate my life." He said jokingly. She smiled back innocently.

"That's what I'm here for!" She chirped.

"What, to make me fall for you and then tell me I have to break up with my previous girlfriend before I can have you?"

She laughed. "Yes."

"Fine. You win."

"Yayiful!" _**(A/N: Best word ever. My bestie helen made it up, so thanx helen!)**_

Roger laughed. "You're so cute." He said. He kissed her, still holding her like a baby.

"Will you let me go now?" She said.

Roger made a thoughtful face. "No. I don't want to." He laughed.

"I'm cold. You need to let me go to go get the blanket."

"No I don't." He stood up and carried her, lowering her almost to the ground so she could pick up the blanket. Then he straightened back up and walked over to the air mattress again and sat down. "There."

"What if I want to lie down under it?"

He thought for a second. Then he shifted Mimi until she was laying on top of him. He grabbed a couple of pillows and put them in between his back and head and the wall. He pulled the blankets up so they were covering both of them completely, then he wrapped his arms around Mimi, and was once again holding her.

"Well that's one way to do it." She said, laughing. He kissed her on the head. "Rog?"

"Yeah?"

"Please break up with her soon."

______________________________________________________________________

"Aw, come on, Man! You're not gonna tell your BEST FRIEND what happened between you and Mimi?" Mark asked him the next day as they waited for Summer School to let out so Roger could talk to April.

"There's nothing to tell." Roger lied.

"Oh, come on Roger, cut the crap. There's gotta be something she did or said that's got you wanting to break up with April all of a sudden."

"I just.... stopped liking April, that's all."

"You _stopped liking April._ Uh-huh."

"It's true!"

"It's true that you just _stopped liking_ your April. Your one true soulmate, the apple of your eye, the mother of your flower, April? You just stopped liking her?"

"Uh-huh."

"Don't lie to me, Rog. You know I can see through that."

"Mark--"

"Roger, is there some reason you feel that you can't trust me anymore?"

"No, it's just--"

"Is there something I did _wrong_?"

"Mark, no--"

"Have I _ever _betrayed you?"

"Mark, no, it's just--"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"No--"

"So why are you lying to me, Roger? Why?"

"It's hard to expl--"

"Do I not deserve the truth from you?"

"STOP! Just stop, ok?! The reason I don't like April anymore is because she's on DRUGS! I found her shooting up in a bush in the middle of the night at Mimi's! Hell, Mark, I don't like April anymore because she's on DRUGS!"

"Roger--"

"Don't 'Roger' me! Am I not allowed to have my own life and my own reasons for breaking up with April?"

"Roger--"

"No! No more crap from you, Mark! I don't want your shit anymore!"

"Roger." Mark pointed behind Roger. Roger turned around.

And standing there, with teary, bloodshot eyes, bookbag in hand, legs shaking like a baby deer, stood an ankle-booted, fishnet-stockinged, denim-miniskirted, ripped tye-dye-t-shirted, huge earring-wearing, purple-and-red-haired--

"April!" Roger shouted. But it was too late.

____________________________________________________________________


	3. Chapter 3

"April! Wait!" Roger yelled after her as she angrily ran away after hearing Roger's outburst at Mark.

"Get away from me, jerk." She finally turned around to yell at him.

"April, baby, I-"

_**(A/N: I am listening to the song Rent on my iPod, Jimmie, (yes I named him.) and it is NOT helping me write apologetic Roger. Sigh.....)**_

"You WHAT, Roger? What could you possibly be or do that could explain to me why the HELL you decided to yell to everyone that I'm on smack? And DON'T you DARE call me baby."

"Ba- April, April, I'm sorry. I don't know what the he--"

"Just forget it."

"April."

"Don't 'April' me. You yelled to everyone that I'm a junkie."

"I know, I'm so sor--"

"Just don't talk to me anymore. Just leave me alone."

"Does this mean we're not boyfriend and girlfriend anymore?"

"What do you think, Roger?"

"Yeah." Roger looked at the ground. April just walked away in a huff.

As soon as she was gone, Roger smiled to the sky. "Thanks."

______________________________________________________________________

"Heyyy!" Mimi said to Roger as he entered the treehouse. She was trying to figure out how to use an ancient radio she had found. Roger smiled at her, walked over, and turned the radio _on_. It instantly started playing the Foo Fighters "Everlong" at full volume.

Mimi, startled, screamed and threw herself on top of Roger. Laughing, Roger kicked the ancient radio with his foot and it immediately fell apart and stopped playing. Mimi and Roger just lay there for a while, laughing and smiling, Mimi on top of Roger. They were in the middle of the treehouse, a part that was easily seen through the door. They didn't think much of it though. BIG mistake on their part.

_____________________________________________________________________

An hour later, Roger and Mimi were having a conversation inside the treehouse. They were both sitting on beanbags, and were positioned so that their legs were intertwined.

"So she just walked away?" Mimi asked Roger as he told her all the details of being dumped.

"Yeah. I mean, I would have too. I was a jerk."

"Well, yeah." She laughed, "Sounds like you were. But at least there's one good thing to you getting, er, dumped."

"What's that?" He asked jokingly.

"Roger!"

"I'm just kidding!" He laughed, "You're so _cute _when you think I forgot." He smiled.

Mimi knit her brows, smiled, and smacked his arm.

"Ow." He said. "Still so cute." He said with a longing, doting look on his face.

_**(A/N: this is an allusion to something that would happen again five years later. Read about it in Our Life Together :))**_

She laughed. _She is so perfect, _Roger thought.

"Hey Meems?" He said.

"Yeah?"

"Last night was really great. You wanna do it again tonight?"

"Sure." She said with a smile. Then she screamed.

Rocks had been thrown in to the windows and door, aimed at Mimi and Roger. They both ducked behind the window. When the rocks stopped, they looked outside.

And in their view was, once again, with bloodshot teary eyes, shaking legs, and rocks in hand, stood an ankle-booted, fishnet-stockinged, denim-miniskirted, ripped-tye-dyed-t-shirted, huge-earring-wearing, purple-and-red-haired......

"April!"

But she just shook her head, threw her rocks, and ran away.

______________________________________________________________________

_April's POV_

_Roger decided to yell to everyone outside summer school that I was on drugs. Ok, yeah, I admit it, I am, but it's not like I can help it. And he didn't really need to tell the, like, hundred people that were out there about it. Anyway, then I ran out to the field behind the school and he decided to chase me. He made a really pathetic attempt at apologizing to me and getting me to forgive him. Of course I wasn't gonna, he told the whole fucking school. I know he just meant to yell it to Mark, but that didn't change the fact that EVERYONE heard it. Anyway, he tried to say some dumb apologetic stuff, but I kept cutting him off. And he kept calling me 'baby'! What made him think he could do that? And THEN he asked if we were still boyfriend and girlfriend! Dumbass. _

_Later, I went to his house to try to figure out how he knew I was on smack, because I have some vague recollection that it happened at Mimi's house. His parents said he wasn't home, so I walked over to Mimi's thinking I could tell her what happened and she could give me some kind of genius advice. The girl knew everything; she had practically raised herself. _

_When I got there, I saw Roger climbing up into the treehouse and Mimi greeting him. Then I heard a click and this song started playing really loud. Since the treehouse faced the bushes, I hid in those and watched them through the wide, open door. Mimi practically threw herself at Roger. BITCH. I didn't know they were involved! I started crying realizing that I was just some stupid........ some stupid passing girlfriend in Roger Davis's life before he could get the real prize! A real prize SLUT named Mimi. Was he cheating on me the whole time? WITH MY BEST FRIEND? God, I felt so fucking cheated. I just watched them lay there smiling and cried for like forty minutes until I saw them climb out of the treehouse and onto her yard where he proceeded to chase her around. They both got tired and collapsed onto the grass, where Mimi said something like, "Oh, God, Roger, you done torturing me?"_

_And he said something like, "I'm sorry about that; I must be tired." Then he waited a second before saying really quickly, "Ok! I'm ready again!" And he rolled over on to Mimi and started either wrestling with her or tickling her- it was hard to tell. WHAT A JERK! This was literally an hour after I dumped him! After a while he helped her up, and they started walking back to the house. At first they were walking side by side, but then he got slightly behind her and all of a sudden smacked her butt. Then he chased her into the house. I just sat there crying for like five minutes. They HAD to have been involved before I dumped him. Oh my god, was that why he told Mark he wanted to break up with me? Because of HER?????? Oh my god. Ugh, anyway, they came back with beanbags like ten minutes later, and walked up to the treehouse. Mimi had trouble carrying hers, so Roger threw both of them up to the treehouse, then scooped Mimi up and carried her up to the treehouse, kissing her the whole way. UGH! Then they sat on beanbags for a while, discussing how I dumped him. She said there was one good thing about getting dumped and he asked what it was. She smacked him and then he obsessed over how cute she was. He NEVER told ME I was cute!!!! He was just interested in my lips and my chest. Ugh, stupid fucking Roger. Anyway, then he said something about how last night was great, does she want to do it again, and she said sure. OH MY GOD, WHAT did they do last night?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I didn't want to find out, but I couldn't take watching them anymore, so I gathered some ping-pong ball sized rocks from around me in the bushes, and I hurled them up towards the windows and door. A bunch of them went in, Mimi screamed, and, I couldn't help it, I just started crying. Once I was almost out of rocks, I stopped throwing them. They poked their heads out of the door, and one of them shouted my name, but I just shook my head, blindly threw the rocks at them, and ran away, sobbing._

_FUCKING STUPID SLUTTY MIMI AND ROGER WERE TOGETHER THE WHOLE TIME. _

_DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

________________________________________________________________________

"Guys! GUYS!" Mark shouted as he ran towards the treehouse.

"What, Mark?" Roger said as he stuck his head out of the treehouse.

"Get-- DOWN HERE!" Mark panted out.

Roger and Mimi quickly exited the treehouse, able to tell by the look on Mark's face that something was REALLY not right.

"What's going on?" Mimi asked.

"April-- on-- the edge-- of-- the Scarsdale Bridge!" Mark managed.

"WHAT?!" Roger asked.

"April's about to jump. April told me goodbye and that you would never be able to apologize to her."

Before anyone could answer, Roger took off towards the Scarsdale Bridge. Mimi and Mark ran after him.

______________________________________________________________________

"April! Get off the bri--" Roger said as he discovered April on the edge.

"Goodbye, Roger." April said as she stepped up on the last thing that was preventing her from falling headfirst into the Scarsdale River. It wasn't a big river, or particularly fast moving, either, but shallow enough and with sharp rocks in the bottom for someone to get easily killed.

"April, get off there!" Roger said as he stepped up to try to prevent April from jumping off by grabbing her. A small crowd had formed at the periphery of the fight, and a small crowd was beginning to form at the bottom where a couple of people were trying to stretch a net across the river.

"Get off me, Roger." She said fiercely. "Get the fuck off me!"

"April, I'm not letting you jump!"

"Life is a horrible place, Roger! I don't want to be here anymore! There are only _people_, and people only hurt you, cheat on you, and lie to you, then try to make up for it by trying to get you not to kill yourself, and then become some big hero! I don't need this shit, Roger! I don't want life! Life is a horrible thing that some IDIOT up there decided to fling on a person's soul that wasn't ready! I'M NOT READY!"

"I'm not ready to let you die!"

"Well, that's not really your decision."

"April, you're fifteen! You have your whole life ahead of you!"

"You would know."

"No. Just don't kill yourself, April! I'm one guy! You don't need to kill yourself over ME!"

April dropped her shoulders. "You're right. I don't need to die." Roger smiled. "YOU DO!"

She pushed him off the bridge.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

_Crash._


	4. Chapter 4

"APRIL!" Mimi screamed, while watching her boyfriend fall inevitably to his death.

April just stood their, frozen with fear at what she had just done.

"Are you okay?" They all heard somebody who had been holding the net at the bottom of the river say. They looked down.

_Roger wasn't dead._

"Ow! Kind of........" He winced.

"Roger!" Mimi screamed down to him.

"I'm ok!" He shouted and waved up to all of them. "I'm _not _dead!"

Within minutes, the fire department was there. Roger had been scraped up, but nothing was broken. Miraculously, the net had been stretched well enough that Roger still hit the bottom of the river (it was about five feet deep) and gotten scratched by the rocks, but the net had bounced back up and saved him.

And that's when things went black for April.

______________________________________________________________________

"What happened?" April asked. She had fainted a few moments after pushing Roger off the bridge. She was at the hospital.

"You fainted." Maureen told her. Everyone had been waiting there for a couple of hours for April to wake up..... and for Roger to stop bleeding.

"Oh. What happened?"

"You fainted."

"Oh. What happened?"

"April, you fainted. Are you ok?"

"Who's April? And.... who are _you_?"

"April is you." Maureen calmly told her. "And I am Maureen, your best friend."

"What happened?"

"You were about to commit suicide, then you pushed Roger off the bridge, he told us he was ok, and then you fainted."

"Oh. What happened?"

Maureen looked at the nurse who had just entered the room with a questioning look on her face.

"This is very common with head injuries. Usually it's only temporary." The nurse told her.

"Usually?"

"Yes; it's extremely unlikely that with a case like this, anything will be permanent. She should be fine in a few days."

"And the odds of total memory loss arrrrre?"

"About 1:1000."

"Ok, thank you."

"What happened?" April asked again.

_This will be a loooooong day. _Maureen thought.

______________________________________________________________________

"I can't believe she pushed me off the bridge. I mean, I know why she did it, but I still can't believe she did it. I know I was a jerk, but to push me off a bridge is just....... _random_." Roger said to Mark. He had stopped bleeding an hour ago, so now they were just all waiting for April to regain her memory.

"You might want to go home now, Ms. Ericsson will be staying here for the night." The nurse with the clipboard told everyone.

Mutters of "ok" and "Thank you" were barely audible from the lifeless waiting room as most everyone in it got up and turned to leave.

______________________________________________________________________

"YOU ARE MOST DEFINITELY _**NOT **_SLEEPING OVER AT MIMI'S!!!" Roger's mom yelled at him when he said he was leaving.

"What?" He asked. "Why?"

"You _**cheated on April with her**_!"

"That wasn't Mimi's fault! It was MINE!"

"All the more reason to ground you." His mother looked at him. He was almost lamentable- covered in bruises and bandages.

"You're _grounding _me?" Roger asked disbelievingly. He had never been grounded before except twice, and even then he had snuck out.

"Yes." His mother said, almost uncertainly. "You cheated on your girlfriend."

"Why do you have a say in what I do in my relationships?"

"Because I am your mother."

"What does that have to do with it?"

"Everything, because the fact that you cheated on your girlfriend, even though we raised you not to do that means that you disobeyed us and didn't listen to us, which means you're grounded."

"I'm fifteen. You can't _ground _me."

"I can and I am." His mother crossed her arms.

Roger knew that he could probably fight and win the argument, but not now. He was too.......tired.

He just sadly limped up the stairs.

______________________________________________________________________

"I know, man. It sucks." Roger said to Mark on the phone. "I mean, to ground me during school is one thing, cause at least you can get out and see your friends at school during the day. But this is just hell."

"Roger, it's been ten minutes!" Roger's mom yelled to him. He was only allowed to use the phone for ten minutes every hour.

"OK, MOM!" He yelled to her. "UGH, gotta go, man. My mom's anal about me spending too much time on the phone, and too little 'thinking about what I did'. Bye."

Roger collapsed on his bed.

_Well, _Roger thought, _This is one SUCKY summer. I make a mistake on pursuing Mimi before I break up with April and I end up shut up in my room, and not allowed to come out until my mom feels that I have 'grasped the seriousness of my wrongdoing.' OH GOD, they're probably just keeping me up here to make sure I don't get almost killed again. But what if--_

His thoughts were interrupted.

"Roger, we need help mowing the lawn!" His mom yelled. The only way he was allowed out of his room was to eat and do chores.

He sighed and went outside.

_____________________________________________________________________

"What?" He asked his mother.

"I have better things to do than to stay out here with the lawnmower and trudge around out yard. But you don't." She said with a triumphant smile.

He groaned, then started up the old lawnmower. Unfortunately, he did not live in the suburbs like Mark or Mimi. Or an apartment complex like April. Or a really small house in a run-down neighborhood like Collins. No, he lived with those snooty people who had to have the city they're from in front of their name when referring to their families, like, "The Westport Greys," or, "The Eastwood Normans," Only they were, "The Scarsdale Davis'." And it annoyed the hell out of him.

He looked around at their expansive lawn- it was at least one square mile.

_SIGH..........................._

________________________________________________________________________

"Well, that was fun." Roger said sarcastically as he walked back up to his room after finishing mowing the lawn.

He stayed up there for at least five hours until it got dark and he heard his parents turn in for the night. And then an eeeevil thought came into his head.

He silently crept out his window and onto his bike, starting toward Mimi's house.

______________________________________________________________________


	5. cause you want to be with me too

_HEYYYY guys! i hope you like this next chapter- just cuteness between Roger and Mimi. ENJOY AND REVIEW!_

________________________________________________________________________

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

Roger threw pebbles at Mimi's window from her yard. Her parents weren't there, but she had been forbidden to see him- her parents were worried that since April had drugs, he had drugs and was going to influence her to do them. It was about 11:30.

Mimi's curtains were swung to the side, and Roger saw her look outside and down. She saw Roger with a handful of pebbles.

"Roger, what the--" She whisper/yelled to him before she was cut off.

"Juliet, Juliet, with eyes like cocoa, come down here to me. Climb out the window." He said to her in a theatrical voice.

She rolled her eyes, but smiled, unable to hide her smitten-ness.

"I hate to say this to you, dear chico, but we could both get grounded. Are you loco?"

She fired back.

"I know the feat I ask isn't easy, and the line I offered was pretty cheesy, but seriously, Juliet, give me some credit. If you come down here, you won't regret it." He drew the last part out and smiled.

"Romeo, you know we're forbidden to be a couple. I don't want to get you in any more trouble!"

"Oh, Juliet, the mask you put on is see-through. I want to be with you, and I know you do too!"

"Dear Romeo, it seems you are going insane. Now, please, I beg, would you kindly refrain?"

"No. With my Juliet, I need be, and you better say yes, or I'll come up and get thee!"

"Romeo, sorry to answer this way, but no, as much as I want to, I cannot go. We're in over our heads, and we can't be together, just go and don't do anything dumber!"

"Have it your way then, but be forewarned, for you are through and through adored, that actions of the heart are hard to predict, for of my affection you are the object. I might scale the wall, might climb in your window, I'll make you mine, just wait and you'll see so!"

Roger started to climb the vines leading up to Mimi's window.

"Roger! ROGER!" Mimi yelled, her voice a mix of fear, amusement, and happiness that Roger was so into her. "Get OFF there!"

"No!" He grunted, pulling himself up. He reached her room and she couldn't herself to close the window like she planned to, so she just reached her hand down to help him up, but he refused. He hooked his hand into the inside of her window and pulled himself up.

"I win." He smiled.

"Yes, Roger, very good, now get OUT OF HERE!" She whispered to him.

"Why?" He asked. He walked over to Mimi's bed and collapsed.

"Because, Rome--uhh, Roger, I'm not allowed to see you, and you're not even allowed to be out, let alone _here_."

"You didn't think we'd be _here_, did you?"

"Uhmmm, _yeah_..."

"NO! Of course not! God, you give me no credit."

"Well, what were _you_ thinking?"

Roger stood up and motioned to the window. They both walked to it and looked out. Roger pointed to a basket next to his bike, where Mimi could see a blanket and two bottles of coke. Roger smiled and raised his eyebrows. Mimi shook her head. He looked at her with a look that said, 'PLEEEEEAAAAASE?' She shook her head again. He resigned to the fact that she wasn't going to go in her own freewill, so he simply grabbed her and carried her out of her room, then down the stairs, then out the door, fighting her protest the whole time.

"Since when do I not have freewill?"

"Since I decided you didn't."

"And what gave you the right to decide that?"

He slung her over his shoulder as he laid out the blanket under a tree. "Nothing, I just don't think you need it right now."

"Well, I do."

"You don't." He dropped her on the blanket, then sat down beside her and handed her a bottle of coke.

"Why does this 'date' only have to have one person's consent? I feel like a hostage."

He laughed. "Because I wanted to."

______________________________________________________________________

"That's Casseopeia." Roger pointed up to a spot in the sky.

"Are you done showing me constellations?" Mimi asked.

"Why aren't you enjoying this?"

"Because it's against my will to even be here. Are you done?"

"Not yet. Did I tell you the story of Orion?"

"No........"

"Ok, well, there once was a princess,"

"UGH."

He laughed, "And a monster that lived in a river. One day, the people of the kingdom decided to tie her to a rock on the side of the river. The monster came up to kill her, and Orion saved her. That's the story."

"That's the shortest story I've ever heard."

"Yeah......."

He leaned over to kiss her, just as nervous as when they'd first kissed.

"You wanna do this again tomorrow?"

"Roger, NO! I'm not allowed to see you, you're not allowed to be here, and everything is just wrong!"

"What's wrong about it, Mimi? I _really _like you, and I thought you did too! Why are you so scared that I want to be with you?"

"And why would that scare me?"

"Cause you want to be with me too."

"I _DO_! But..."

"But what, Meems?! Why can't you just accept that we have feelings for each other?"

"I can, but we can't act upon them!"

"_WHY NOT?!" _

Mimi got up and started walking angrily back toward her house.

"MIMI!" He shouted and got up to run after her. He grabbed her shoulders and she took his hands off. He grabbed her hands and pushed her onto her back on the grass.

"MIMI, why?!"

"LET-- ME-- GO!" She yelled as she pushed him off her. They kind of wrestled for the next few minutes, until they got around to the blanket where Mimi grabbed her unopened bottle of coke, shook it, and sprayed it all over Roger. Roger immediately let go of her and just lay there, soaked, in the grass, and watched Mimi stomp back into her house.

He lay there for about an hour, muttering, "Mimi, will you marry me? Mimi, will you marry me? Mimi, will you marry me?" Over and over, while fingering the soft blue box in his coat pocket.

______________________________________________________________________

_WHAT DO YOU THINK? review, please!_


	6. Marry me!

_HEY! so i hope you guys liked my last chapter....... here's the nexxxt one! REVIEW OR MAKE ME SAD!_

________________________________________________________________________

"You _PROPOSED TO HER_?!?!?!? Are you fucking INSANE?" Mark asked Roger on the phone the next day.

"I told you, man, I didn't propose to her, she walked away before I could."

"So you were ABOUT TO?"

"Yeah."

"Roger, you are an idiot. I mean, I used to think that you were only a semi-idiot and that you could conceivably be changed, but seriously, man, you have just jumped the fence in to idiotville. How could you plan to PROPOSE to her? You're freaking fifteen! You couldn't even marry her legally!"

"We could in New Hampshire."

"Legally?"

"No, but you know I can forge a waiver."

"Yes, I'll never forget your permission slip to see the sex-ed video in eighth grade in a co-ed classroom."

"Yeah......."

"You were lucky! You had the hot female p.e. coach and a room full of girls, when I was stuck sitting next to Collins and having the male p.e. coach stop the video and use me as an example of someone with a small dick!"

"Aw, man, seriously?" Roger laughed. "Who was the example for the big....... you know."

"NO ONE. He just used me to show someone with a small one."

"WOW."

"I know. So what are you gonna do now that Mimi's pissed at you and you have the ring?"

"I'm gonna leave it in her mailbox."

"And risk having her parents find it?"

"Ooh, you're right. I'll put it on her windowsill."

"How are you gonna get up to her room, it's on the second story."

"Climb the vines."

"That what you did last night?"

"Yup."

"How are you gonna ask her?"

"I'll stay in her room and ask her there."

"Oh, Roger."

"What?"

"You're in way over your head."

"Why? I love her."

"You don't love her."

"Well, I love _parts_ of her!"

"So that's it? That's why you're getting married to her? Because you love _parts _of her?"

"Yes."

"You are so....... immature!"

"Why?"

"Because, you remember when we met, the first day of kindergarten?"

"Yeah?"

"You thought you were in love with the teaching assistant, Ms. Kelly."

"I was little."

"Do you think you love Mimi like you thought you loved Ms. Kelly?"

"I don't _think_ I love Mimi, I _know_ I love her."

"Uh-huh, yeah, sure."

"If you're just going to ridicule me, then I might as well not even talk to you."

He hung up.

"Roger, come take out the trash!" His mother called to him.

"UGH, coming!" He called back.

_Tomorrow, I'm a free man. _He thought. Tomorrow was when his grounding term would end.

______________________________________________________________________

"Stupid frickin' birds." He grunted, annoyed at the chirping birds interrupting his sleep. If the birds hadn't done it, the sunlight would've.

He smiled. _Today was the day he would propose to Mimi.... _provided she wasn't as pissed as he had left her. Today was the day he would ask her to marry him, to pack up his and her stuff and to elope to New Hampshire. Today was the day he would get out of this freaking state.

_UGH, come on, Roger, just pick an outfit..._ he thought. He finally just decided on a pair of jeans, a green shirt, and his leather jacket. _**(A/N: La Vie Boheme outfit.)**_

He walked down the stairs and out onto his bike, making sure he had the ring with him.

______________________________________________________________________

_Okay, here we go. I'm walking in with a ring and out with Mimi._ Roger noticed Mimi blow-drying her hair in her room. She set the blow-dryer down and walked into her bathroom and closed the door. Roger was sure it would be at least ten minutes until she was back in her room, so he started climbing up the vines again. He got up there within seven or eight minutes, and was able to climb in easily. He sat on the pillows on the window sill and waited for her to come out of the bathroom.

"Beautiful," Mimi said sarcastically while looking at herself in the mirror. She hadn't noticed Roger sitting there. "Just beautiful." She examined her frizzy hair.

"That was my line." He said.

Mimi screamed and jumped, then placed her hand over her heart and said, "Oh my god, Roger, you scared me. What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Sitting, breathing, oxidizing my cells....." He smiled.

"Ha ha, very funny. Seriously, though, I'm not allowed to see you! You gotta get out!"

"Don't you want to know why I'm here?"

"Yesss.... and then I want you to GET OUT." She pointed toward the door. Roger advanced toward her and she backed up, only to make contact with the door. Roger backed up a little and got down on one knee. "Roger, what the hell are you doing?" Mimi asked as she saw Roger pull out a small blue box. _SHIT._

"Proposing to you." He said, matter-of-factly while smiling at her, his smile as bright as the gleaming silver ring.

_WOW. _Mimi _really_ wasn't expecting that. She collected her thoughts, and managed, "Ugh, what the he-- Roger. It's not legal."

"It is in New Hampshire, with a waiver."

"Isn't parental consent needed?"

"Is that a yes?" He asked with a _really _hopeful smile.

"Isn't parental consent needed?" She asked again, slightly more aggravated.

"Yyyyyyyes, but I can easily forge it."

"Roger!"

"Mimi!" He laughed slightly. "Marry me!" He laughed a little more.

"Roger, we're fifteen."

"I know."

"We're fifteen! We can't get married!"

He stood up. "Why not, Meems?" He took her hands and she gasped a little. "We can go to New Hampshire, elope, live in an apartment; I have the money! Meems, we can leave this whole damn state if you want."

"Did it ever occur to you that I like my life here?"

"You like your life? You like your life _here? _You like your life when you're not even allowed to see me?"

"Well! Maybe! I don't know......!" A look of panic crossed Mimi's face. She really didn't know if she wanted to marry Roger or not. She really, really liked him, but she wasn't sure if she was ready for _marriage. _She was freaking fifteen, and she really had no idea if she wanted to throw away her future by eloping at that age. On the other hand, she liked Roger, and she definitely didn't want to make him mad and break his heart by saying no.

"You don't know? I thought for sure you'd say yes." He stood up and crossed his arms, then stared at her, then the ground and shook his head disbelievingly.

"Y-y-yes?" She said. It sounded more like a question than an answer to a marriage proposal.

"What?"

"Yes?"

"Yes what?"

"Yes, I'll.... marry you?" She said hesitantly.

"You will?"

She swallowed then nodded.

"Mimi, you'll marry me?"

"Y-yes."

He started happy-laughing and hugged her. He held her out in from of him by her shoulders, and said, laughing and smiling at her, clearly more in to this than she was, "Mimi! We're getting married!" He started hugging her again.

Mimi started thinking to herself, barely hugging Roger back, _OH MY GOD SHIT, what the fuck did I just get myself into???_

________________________________________________________________________

_what did you think? I took the people who reviewed's opinions into account in writing this next chapter, so if you have an opinion/idea/suggestion, please review!_


	7. NO!

_supp people!!! thank u so much for reading. here's my next chapter!_

________________________________________________________________________

_ok, I have everything. I think. _Roger thought. It was about 12:00 on saturday, and he had been packing all day for the elope. He had already bought a small apartment in the city and booked the wedding at a sleazy chapel for three days later. He was going to have Collins drive them and their friends out there. He was going to go over to Mimi's in a few minutes, and checking if she was ready. They were supposed to pack up the car and leave it in the alley there, then go back in the middle of the night and head out.

"Mom, I'm going!"

"Okay!"

Roger straddled his bike again and prayed to God that his mother didn't go into his room and find everything...... gone.

_Click._

_Click. _

_Click._

_Wow. Deja vu. _Roger thought as he threw pebbles -again- at Mimi's window. Mimi looked down and smiled apprehensively. _By this time tomorrow I won't have to do this any more. _He began to climb the vines, again.

"You ready?" He asked her.

"Um, yeah." She motioned to the seven duffle bags she had packed nervously the night before.

"Good." He grabbed the rope off his belt loop and started lowering her bags down on to the ground, one by one. Then he kissed her on the cheek and started climbing out the window. "See you tonight."

______________________________________________________________________

_SQUEEEEAAAAK._

The hinges on Roger's parent's door swung closed.

_Show time._

Roger climbed on to his bike with his backpack, and looked back at his house for the last time.

______________________________________________________________________

"Hey, man, you ready?" Collins whispered upon finding Roger walking toward Mimi's window. "Mark and Maureen are already in the car."

"Yeah, I'm almost ready, I just need the bride."

Roger decided that throwing pebbles was unnecessary, because Mimi was already staring at him from her room with an expression that he deciphered as excitement. Oh but he was SO WRONG. The expression Mimi had on her face, even to the untrained eye, was fear.

______________________________________________________________________

_Mimi's POV_

_Ok, so yes, I did accept his proposal, pack my bags, and tell him I'd elope with him, but seriously, I couldn't. I just couldn't bring myself to do it, to run away from this, my LIFE. My YOUTH. Things were pretty good before this. _

_Roger didn't even bother with the whole pebble-throwing thing this time, he just saw that I was up there. My parents weren't home, and I really DID NOT WANT TO DO THIS. I saw Roger start to climb the vines and watched him for a second; he WAS pretty hot. I shook my head and quickly locked my window, then ran downstairs and locked the front and back door, and all the other windows in the house. I figured I was safe until I heard him start to pick the lock. SHIT._

_Right then, I did the only thing I could think of: I hid under the bed. _

_There were no sheets or anything hanging down to REALLY hide me; those had all been packed. I was just going to have to pray to GOD that Roger didn't look there. _

_I heard Roger climb into my room and start calling to me softly. I didn't respond, so he went into my bathroom and the rest of my house looking for me. I just lay there, completely still and silent, and I was sure he wouldn't find me, until I heard him come back in to my room, and I suddenly saw a big, familiar green eye--_

________________________________________________________________________

"Mimi? What are you _doing_?"

Mimi couldn't respond. She was frozen with fear. She just stood up from under the bed, her heart pounding.

"Mimi, what's going on with you? Come on, let's go!"

"N-n-n-no. No."

"No? What, no?"

"I'm n-n-not g-going."

"Ha ha, Meems, very funny, now come on," He took her wrist. "Let's go."

Mimi yanked her wrist away, slowly gaining strength. "NO."

"Mimi, what the--"

"NO! NO! I'M NOT GOING!" She yelled.

"_WHAT? _Why?"

"Why? WHY WILL I NOT THROW AWAY MY LIFE TO GO LIVE IN A SLEAZY CITY APARTMENT WITH MY FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD HUSBAND AND NOT FINISH SCHOOL, NOT GO TO COLLEGE, AND DEPEND ON _YOU_ FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE? _WHY_? Roger, I can't marry you, and you know that! You know I can't marry you! You don't have a job, you can't support me--"

"Mimi, why does any of that matter? I love you and--"

"CUT THE FUCKING CRAP, ROGER! THIS IS BULLSHIT! AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T LOVE YOU! I COULD NEVER LOVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS ME TO THROW AWAY MY LIFE TO MAKE _THEM _HAPPY!" She was really yelling now.

"Mimi, stop, come on, let's GO." Roger grabbed Mimi's wrist and started dragging her towards the window.

"NO!" She started crying. "NO! I DON'T WANT TO MARRY YOU! I DON'T WANT TO GO!"

"MIMI! You said you'd marry me, and now it's time to follow through, now lets GO."

He opened her window. Mimi gasped and saw the opportunity right before her. She climbed up on the windowsill, and without a second thought, jumped.

______________________________________________________________________

Mimi woke up, sweating and panting.

_Did I dream that?_

She looked around, and realized she had no idea where the hell she was. She heard something humming and something rattling a little. She was about to get up when she felt searing pain through her left ankle. She screamed a little. She saw Roger turn around and smile at her. _ROGER??? SHIT._

"Oh, good, you're not dead." Maureen smiled at her.

"Maureen, what the hell is going on? Where am I?"

"We're 'bout ten minutes outside Scarsdale, princess," Collins told her from the front seat. "On the way to the city, your new home. You sprained your ankle." Mimi looked out the window and noticed a couple of yellow taxis and some public restrooms, and that she had about $50 in her pocket.

"Can we pull over? I have to go to the bathroom." Collins did.

Mimi quickly, inconspicuously whispered to Maureen, "I can't do this, I can't marry Roger. Not now. I'm going to book it to one of those taxis and take it back to Scarsdale. Don't wait up."

Maureen smiled at her. "I always knew you had common sense. Go, girl, who says you can't run away from your problems?" Mimi smiled back.

She stepped out of the car, her converse touching the pavement. There was about twenty yards in between her and the taxis.

She started walking toward the bathroom, then abruptly limped as fast as she could toward the taxi.

"Mimi!" Roger got out of the car and ran after her. "Mimi, get back here!"

Because of Mimi's limp, Roger could easily catch her. He picked her up and took her back to the car. Mimi slapped him and screamed at him but to no avail.

"Mimi, enough running away from me. You and I are going-_now_- to get married. We're going to live in the apartment I bought and you said you would do this, so now you need to follow through." Roger said to her fiercely.

"B-but I don't want to marry you! I don't love you! I'm fifteen! I don't want to run away!"

"Mimi, you're coming with me to get married to me, and you don't have anymore say in the matter."

"I don't have any say? _I don't have any say? _Who the FUCK do you think you are? You think you can just drag me off to get married to you without my say? Do you really think I'm gonna say 'I do' when the time comes?"

"YOU don't have to!" Roger looked triumphant. "I have this waiver signed by your 'parents' that says you are getting married to ME. You DON'T have any consent, because your 'parents' already said you were. Parental consent is the only thing legally needed, because parents have the rights to YOU!"

Mimi just stared at him. She didn't doubt that he loved her, no; he just loved her the wrong way. Still, she felt the need to say, "Why do you hate me so much?"

"Hate you? Oh, Mimi, I could never--"

"Yes. You could. You DO."

"How?"

"You hate me enough to know that I can't get away from this, so you're making me marry you, and making me miserable for the rest of my life with this. Why do you hate me so much?"

Roger paused for a minute, then looked at her, really _looked at her_, then said, "I don't hate you so much, Mimi, I LOVE you so much. I love you so much that I don't ever want to let you get away from me, and I know you're afraid of this, buy you need to come with me, we're getting married now, and you don't really have a choice." He started carrying her back to the car.

The one thing that Mimi couldn't stand was being told she didn't have a choice, so she did the only thing she could think of- she grabbed Roger's hand and bit him as hard as she could.

"AHHH!" Roger shouted, and examined the blood on his hand. Mimi took off and knocked on the window of the cab as Roger started after her. The driver unlocked the door and Mimi climbed in, then quickly locked the door.

"Runnin' away, honey?" The creepy-yet-endearing cab driver asked Mimi.

"No, actually, I want you to take me home. How much to about five blocks away from the Scarsdale bridge?"

Before the cab driver could answer, Roger started pounding on the window of the cab and trying the lock. He left bloody fist prints on the window. Mimi saw Maureen shoot her a panicky-yet-knowing look and Mark and Collins in shock.

"Ah, including the blood damage to my cab, fifty bucks even."

Mimi handed him the small bundle of bills from her pocket. "DRIVE!" The driver stepped on the gas, a little excited to be part of this, even though he had absolutely no clue what the hell was going on. Roger knew he couldn't keep up with the cab, shot Mimi a look of absolute pathetic desperation, and got into Collins' car.

"Drive, man, drive!!!" He yelled at Collins.

"No, Roger! You're hurting Mimi!"

"Oh, go preach to someone who cares!" Roger pushed Collins out of the way and-despite the fact he had absolutely no idea how to drive- started driving the car.

Mark, Collins, and Maureen started screaming bloody murder. Collins took the key out of the ignition.

"Roger Davis, get the FUCK OUT OF MY CAR!" Collins yelled, and before giving Roger time to respond, he pushed him out of the car, caring nothing that he was now on the ground about twenty miles away from home. Or that it was 2:00 am.

______________________________________________________________________

"I've never seen Roger like this. He used to be so...... _normal_." Mark said on the way home.

"I can't believe he's after Mimi like this. I heard exactly what he said to her." Maureen said disgustedly.

"What did he say?" Both Mark and Collins asked.

"Well, she asked him why he hated her so much to make her miserable for the rest of her life, and he said, 'I don't hate you so much, I LOVE you so much. I love you so much that I don't ever want to let you get away from me, and I know you're afraid of this, but you need to come with me, we're getting married now, and you don't really have a choice.' " She put on her best Roger-voice.

"WHAT?! I can't believe he'd say that to her! I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe Roger _has _gone mental." Mark said, shaking his head.

"Could be, could be. Anyway, we'll probably never see him again. If they ever _find _him, I'm reporting him for kidnapping and harassment." Collins said.

"God, what _happened _to him?" Maureen said.

"God only knows." Collins shook his head.

They rounded the corner of Mimi's street, and looked up, and saw the most pitiful thing they had ever seen.

Mimi was curled up in the treehouse in the fetal position, sobbing, with muddy mascara tracks running down her cheeks. Maureen practically jumped out of the car and flung herself up the ladder to the treehouse. She hugged Mimi and started crying too. Collins and Mark added themselves to the pile, and, out of nowhere, the last person they could possibly expect joined the hug.

"_APRIL??? _"

______________________________________________________________________

_tadaaa! what did you think? I have a question for all of you, except those who know the answer, how old do you think I am??? i will tell you on the next chapter!_


	8. 3 song glory contains 3 songs :

_Heyy readers!!! sorry it took me so long to update. And sorry i made Roger a creeper, i promise i will fix that, it was just so darn fun to write about :p anyway, here it is! this is a pretty eventful and juicy chap. enjoy! ps, sorry for all the drama, i had a bit of a breakdown. _

_______________________________________________________________________

_April's POV_

_Maureen told me everything. She was my little spy._

_I called her the morning of the night that they were supposed to elope. She told me about everything that was supposed to happen, and that she didn't think Mimi wanted to do this, and that Roger was probably pressuring her into this. Then I came up with my plan. _

_Since their plan was that they pack up the car, leave it in an alley, then drive it away in the middle of the night, this left about ten hours for me to get in to the car; plenty of time. Mo had the keys, and she snuck me in to the back part of the car behind the back seat about thirty minutes before Collins showed up. I waited. I watched._

_I watched as Roger climbed up the vines to Mimi's window. I watched as they fought. I watched Mimi jump out the window, and for a minute I was scared for her, although I knew she wasn't dead. Roger carried her to the car and put her in the seat in front of me, examined Mimi's ankle, and muttered something about it being sprained. I was amazed he didn't find me. _

_Anyway, Collins started driving away, and Mimi woke up after a while. She said she had to go to the bathroom, and started sprinting toward a cab. Roger chased after her and they got into a huge fight involving blood and screaming. So much screaming. Mimi finally got into the cab, and Roger told Collins to chase after her, which he didn't, so Roger pushed Collins off the front seat and started driving himself, which he had no idea how to do. I wanted to scream, but knew they'd find me. Finally, Collins dumped Roger out on the road and began driving home. _

_As soon as we got back, they all went up to the treehouse to comfort a hysterical Mimi, and I climbed out and did the same. I couldn't help it; Roger basically kidnapped her, and being kidnapped probably calls for about the same degree of anger as being cheated on, and I felt bad for her. I had pretty much gotten over Roger, concluding that he was scum, but I guess Mimi hadn't....._

________________________________________________________________________

"April?! What the hell are you doing here?" Maureen yelled, smiling a little to let April know she hadn't forgotten about where April had been the last two hours.

April figured it was time to come clean; she told them EVERYTHING.

"Wow." Mark said, breaking the long silence that followed April's confession.

"I know. I'm sorry, I just.... I wanted to see what he would _do_."

"Wow." Mark said again.

"Ok, no one except Mark is talking, and I know what I did was wrong, but pleeeeaaase, speak to me!" April whined.

"There's not much to speak about, April." Mimi said, sitting up and talking with a voice that nobody would know was crying thirty seconds ago.

"Well..... are you mad at me?"

"Honestly, April, no. No. I understand what you did and why you did it."

"I'm so sorry about what Roger did to you."

"Me too. He was like, obsessed." Maureen said.

"Yeah." Mimi said, somewhat distantly.

"Mimi, what are you thinking?" Maureen said warningly.

"Nothing, nothing." Mimi lied innocently. Her statement couldn't have been farther from truth.

______________________________________________________________________

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

Once again, Roger threw pebbles at Mimi's window. It was 12:36, their "lucky" time, as he called it, the night after the whole thing happened.

Mimi saw Roger, rolled her eyes, and wondered, _how the hell did he get back? And why won't he leave me alone???_

Mimi locked her window, and closed her curtains, then went on to lock the rest of the house. If Mimi had told her parents what was going on, they would have been home and Roger in jail. But she didn't.

She just hoped that the new series of locks she had gotten for her window would suffice.

Mimi paced behind her curtain. Surprisingly, she didn't hear or see Roger climbing up the vines. She just heard him continue to throw pebbles. She finally got annoyed by the noise and stuck her head outside her window to yell at Roger.

"Roger, what the fuck are you doing here??" Mimi whisper/yelled.

Roger pulled his guitar out from behind him, and just started singing.

_**Wait For Me by Max Morgan:**_

_Am I holding you back? _

_Am I dragging you under? _

_Is it something I lack?_

_Can I turn it around?_

_When everything's wrong _

_and you know that I'm sorry _

_For the things that I've done…to you _

_It's good to be you, you got it together _

_More than I do, you never stumble or fall _

_Never let any tears reveal imperfection, _

_or bow to your fears _

_Do you hear what I'm saying _

_Can you hear what I'm playing _

_Before the best is gone, it won't take too _

_long... _

_Everybody's trying to keep _

_it together, I'm looking for a chance _

_to make things better _

_Wait for me, won't you wait for _

_me _

_Standing in the light it shows _

_where I'm broken, need a little _

_time to know where I'm going _

_Wait for me, won't you wait for _

_me _

_I've been living a lie, pretending _

_I'm stronger, need a stone to crawl under _

_Now I wanna be there, close where you stand, _

_Yeah I need a revival _

_Won't you help me understand _

_Do you hear what I'm saying _

_Can you hear what I'm playing _

_Can you hear me at all _

_I won't take too long _

_If I could only sort it out, every _

_question in my head, I could turn _

_it around _

_If I only had it all, _

_we could put this thing to bed, _

_can I say it out loud _

_Do you feel like I do _

_Is it coming together _

_This time I want it to..._

Roger strummed his guitar on the last note, and looked up at Mimi. "We need to talk." He called up at her.

"No."

"Come on, Meems, you can't keep running away from me!"

"I can, and I will."

"Don't be such an April!"

"April?!"

"April did drugs to distance herself from her problems. You're running."

"Fine. But you better not drag me off again."

Mimi quickly shut her window again and descended the stairs as well as she could with her sprained ankle, to come out and talk to him, disregarding her instincts and the strong feeling inside her that told her not to go.

"Hi." Roger said.

"Hi."

Roger walked to the treehouse with his arm around Mimi, which she didn't refuse, because it kind of felt good to know he was out of his psycho phase, as far as she knew.

"Ow." Mimi limped.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that. You need help?"

"No." Mimi winced.

"Liar." Roger picked Mimi up and started carrying her, bridal style.

"So, how did you get home?" Mimi asked, breaking the short silence.

"I worked all day today for some newsstand in that dead-end place Collins left me. Finally raised enough money for a cab back." Roger explained.

"Oh. Good." Mimi said.

"Yeah. Of course, I wouldn't have had to if Collins hadn't kicked me out of the car, which wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gone insane and tried to drive the car, which wouldn't have happened if you hadn't gotten in that cab, which wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gone insane and chased you, which wouldn't have happened if you hadn't run away, which wouldn't have happened if you hadn't felt the way you did, which wouldn't have happened if I hadn't put you in that situation, which, by the way, I am eternally and completely sorry about."

"I'm not going to lie to you and say, 'it's ok,' because it's not. You really had me freaked out."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Why did you do that?"

"I loved you. I still do, just not in that insane way. I was afraid you would run away from me and I would never see you again. I guess.... I was kind of driving you away by doing what I did, but I thought it would keep you there."

"You still....... you still love me?"

"Yeah, Meems, I do. I love you as a person."

"You still want me to marry you?"

"When you're ready." Roger said with a playful smile, after making his way up to the treehouse and sitting down with Mimi still in his arms. After a long pause, Roger asked, "Did you really mean what you said when you said you didn't love me and you could never love me?"

"Yeah, I did, _then_. But only about the didn't, not about the never could."

"So how do you feel..... _right now_?"

"Roger, I--"

"I shouldn't have asked."

"No, Roger, it's just--"

"I shouldn't have asked."

"Roger!" Mimi laughed until Roger looked at her. "I love you." She said, in a somewhat surprised tone. Roger leaned in suddenly and kissed her, both their eyes widening at the impact.

"Mimi, marry me......"

"Ok." She had gotten used to this, and figured he would ask.

Roger smiled. "So are we sleeping here again?" Roger asked, once again slipping the ring over Mimi's finger.

"Yeah. I guess." Mimi said, fully aware that she would be breaking Roger's heart in less than twelve hours.

She had a plan.

She was afraid that if she stayed with Roger that she would never be happy again. She was afraid that if she ran away and he knew about it, that he would do something similar to his previous episode, which she definitely did not want happening. She was going to run away, take the money he had given her, and leave a note. Yes, she knew it was a bitchy, horrible thing to do, but she was scared. Scared. Scared can cause people to do a lot of crazy things. Like this.

But for now, she would just lay against Roger, slowly moving away from him throughout the night so that he wouldn't notice when she left.

She was going to Santa Fe, with Maureen.

_____________________________________________________________________

_Ok, Mimi, don't panic. Don't *gasp* panic. _Mimi thought as she signed the note and kissed it.

"Hey, girlie, you ready?" Maureen whispered from the doorway of the treehouse.

"Yeah." Since Mimi had never bothered to unpack, she had her seven duffle bags ready to go. They were catching the train to Santa Fe in about two hours. "Let's go."

_____________________________________________________________________

"Mimi?" Roger asked sleepily. It was one and a half hours after Mimi and Maureen had left for the train station. He found the note.

_Dear Roger,_

_I'm so sorry I am doing this, but I'm leaving you. I just don't think that I can be with you or someone like you, despite how much I love you. You make me love you. I love you, but I just don't think that's enough. And it never will be. _

_I'm so, so sorry Roger. I love you._

_Goodbye._

Mimi Marquez

She kissed the note next to where she signed it. Roger looked around the treehouse. All her stuff, including the money he had given her, was gone. Except the ring, which was on the floor next to the note.

Since Mimi couldn't drive, she had to be at the train station. He grabbed his jacket and the ring, and ran, singing:

_**Mr. Therapy Man by Justin Nozuka**_

Through the water

And through the flames

My baby left me without a trace

She took my money

And left the ring

And she didn't leave one clue of where she was going to...

Oh my baby up and left me alone

She signed goodbye on the letter that she wrote

Oh my baby up and left me now

Mr. Therapy Man I need to ask you how can I

Live on?

How could she do it

Go break my heart

When she used to be the crying when we were a part

I gave her all of me

Gave her my soul

And that was exactly what she stole from me...

Oh my baby up and left me alone

She signed goodbye on the letter that she wrote

Oh my baby up and left me now

Mr. Therapy Man I need to ask you how can I

Live on?

Through the water

And through the flames

My baby left me without a trace.

______________________________________________________________________

"Mimi! MIMI!" Roger yelled after her as she stepped on to the train.

"Oh GOD." Mimi groaned as she saw Roger running toward her. They had already had everything checked in and the only thing stopping her from escaping her problems forever was the extremely slow woman in front of them with seven trillion carry-ons. She finally got on to the train and she and Maureen found their seats, and Mimi's was, unfortunately, a window seat. A window seat which Roger easily found. Shame the window didn't close.

"Mimi, how could you do this to me? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" Roger shouted at her once he located her window. "I love you, I REALLY LOVE YOU! Why did you say you would marry me when all you were gonna do was RUN AWAY AGAIN!?"

"Because, Roger,"

_**White Horse by Taylor Swift**_

"Say you're sorry, that face of an angel

Comes out just when you need it to

As I paced back and forth all this time

Cause I honestly believed in you

Holding on, the days drag on

Stupid girl, I should have known

I should have known

I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale

I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet

Lead her up the stairwell

This ain't Hollywood, this is a small town

I was a dreamer before you went and let me down

Now it's too late for you and your white horse, to come around

Baby I was naive, got lost in your eyes

And never really had a chance

I had so many dreams about you and me

Happy endings, now I know

I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale

I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet

Lead her up the stairwell

This ain't Hollywood, this is a small town

I was a dreamer before you went and let me down

Now it's too late for you and your white horse, to come around

And there you are on your knees

Begging for forgiveness, begging for me

Just like I always wanted but I'm so sorry

Cause I'm not your princess, this ain't a fairytale

I'm gonna find someone someday who might actually treat me well" The train started driving away slowly. "This is a big world, that was a small town

There in my rearview mirror disappearing now

And its too late for you and your white horse

Now its too late for you and your white horse, to catch me now

Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa

Try and catch me now

Oh, it's too late to catch me now."

Roger ran after the train, a sad look crossing his face as he realized he couldn't keep up with the train that was taking Mimi one-way across the country.

"Mimi!" He yelled after her. But it was too late. She was already gone.

______________________________________________________________________

_TADAA! DRAMAAAA! don't worry, the story isn't over. it might be if you don't R&R though! _


	9. dear god

_heyyy my amazing beautiful incredible wonderful lovelyful and awesome readers! sorry it took me a while to update, i was busy yesterday and the day before. (saw night at the museum 2 with friends and rode a ferris wheel for the first time! (against my will, of course.) be proud of me :)) so enjoy this next chap, i will have url's to the pix of the characters on my profile. love you guys! enjoy!_

________________________________________________________________________

"MIMI!" Roger shouted, desperately calling after her. She stuck her head back inside the window and leaned back.

"Hey." Maureen told Mimi. "You did the right thing."

"I hope so."

______________________________________________________________________

"Excuse me, ma'am," Roger asked an extremely pregnant lady who was waving to someone sticking their head out the window on the passing train. He was panicking. "Where was that train to?"

"Santa Fe."

"Thank you." Roger ran over to the ticket window. "Excuse me?" He asked.

"Yeah?" Said the woman manning the ticket booth, who was snapping her gum.

"When's your next train to Santa Fe?"

The woman checked the schedule hanging above her. "Leaves in about two and a half hours."

"When does it arrive there?"

"Probably about twenty minutes after that one." She pointed to the train that Mimi had just run away on as it pulled into the distance.

"How does that work?" Roger asked, confused.

"They have two stops before Santa Fe." She explained.

"Oh. Ok. Thanks. Do I buy a ticket now?"

"You can."

Roger bought the ticket and quickly ran home. The train gave him about an hour and a half to get his stuff and his money.

_I'll go. _He thought. _I can find an apartment in Santa Fe, get Mimi back, and instead of eloping here, we'll do it there! It's perfect._

________________________________________________________________________

"Oh, I hope he's not gonna follow me....." Mimi said worriedly.

"Chillax, Roger's not that insane."

"He _dragged me off to marry him._" Mimi reminded her.

"Oh yeah..... I'm sure it'll be fine. If he follows you, I can go all kick-ass diva on him." Maureen smiled, trying to make Mimi feel better.

"I'm sure he'll be very scared of your four-inch stilettos." Mimi laughed and relaxed.

"And, I mean, that's if Jesse doesn't kill him first."

______________________________________________________________________

Roger's train arrived twenty two minutes after Mimi's. He immediately stepped off with his two duffle bags, a guitar case, and backpack, which had what was left of his life savings in it.

He started looking for Mimi. And then he saw her. He dropped his bags.

Mimi was there, a pile of bags next to her, wearing a pair of tight black jeans and a short red shirtdress. She had her hair long and wavy, as usual, and was wearing black strappy sandal heels. Maureen was in the bathroom. And Mimi was currently making out with and had her arms around another man. Roger stood in shock.

Mid-makeout, Mimi moved her head to the side and opened one of her eyes. She immediately saw Roger and pulled back and pushed the guy away from her.

"Roger!"

"Mimi-- fuck-- who's..... who's this?-- what the he--" Roger shook his head- he couldn't get out a coherent sentence.

"Roger, why are you here?!" Mimi asked, enraged. "Why did you fucking FOLLOW ME?!"

"I love you! I thought we could-- thought we could elope.... here...." Roger said quietly.

"ELOPE?!?! Roger, are you not aware of why I even left in the first place?!"

"You said you loved me." Roger said defiantly, determined not to let Mimi go.

"It was out of pity." Mimi crossed her arms. "I said I loved you out of pity. You were a pitiful love-struck, obsessed wreck, and I felt bad for you." Mimi lied. "I loved you like I would love some abused puppy. But I've moved on." She motioned to the guy next to her whom she had been making out with.

Roger looked at him. He was three or four inches taller than Roger and obviously a little more muscular.

"Who the hell are you?" Roger asked, trying to sound tough.

"Whoa, drop the profanity, will you?" The guy immediately said back. Roger didn't like the sound of his voice. It sounded like something Mimi would find sexy.

"Roger, this is Jesse Windricks. Remember? The one I wrote two you about last summer?"

"Your CAMP COUNSELOR?!"

"Hey, I'm only three years older than her."

"Eighteen?" Roger swallowed hard. It was legal for him to marry her in the state of New Mexico without parental consent, something he had found out while looking up marriage laws so they could elope.

"Yeah. Is there a problem with that?" Jesse raised his eyebrows. He casually grabbed Mimi's hand and tilted it a bit to the side. Roger lost his breath. There was a ring on her finger. And it wasn't the one he got her.

"Wh- what the hell is that?" Roger asked quietly.

"A ring. I'm marrying Jesse. Unlike you, he has a steady job, marriage is legal, and he can support me."

"Why are you doing this?" Roger asked.

Mimi just laughed and located Maureen. "Come on." They all grabbed the pile of bags and left Roger standing there alone.

______________________________________________________________________

Roger wasn't going to let this happen. He knew Mimi would freak out if he followed her, and that that Jesse dude could kick his ass pretty easily.

Roger followed them pretty discreetly, leaving his luggage (everything except his guitar) in a locker-area that he had stopped to RENT at the train station.

He found that they stopped after walking about twenty minutes.

"This is where you live?" Mimi asked Jesse.

"Yeah. Sorry it's not much, but it's not like we're having kids or anything."

Mimi looked up at him and kissed him. "It's perfect." Mimi felt guilty. It's not like she didn't love Jesse; she did, it's just that she was kind of using him. She was using him to escape from Roger and all the shit that Roger brought into her life.

"Are you guys gonna be doing that a lot?" Maureen derailed Mimi's train of thought.

"What? Oh, yeah." Mimi laughed, backing up into Jesse by accident. Roger almost threw up. "Well, we're getting married, so get used to it."

_So she _was_ serious. _Roger thought. He was not happy. _This _can't _be happening._

________________________________________________________________________

_ok, sorry to leave you guys on a cliffhanger, but i have such writer's block right now it's killing me. love you! i'll update one day sooner for every review i get! my next update is scheduled for next next monday._


	10. oh roger

_*begs and pleads for forgiveness* i'm soooo sorry this took so long! super, super juicy chapter though! (i know, i know, that doesn't make up for it...=p) i love you so much! enjoy!_

________________________________________________________________________

And that week was the hardest of Mimi's life. Roger, constantly following her, wondering if she was okay, what the hell was going on, all that stuff. Trying to get through the day without crying so she could get it out at night when no one could hear her. _Sleeping in a bed with a man for the first time. _Yes, that was the worst. Mimi missed her parents, and her friends, and the security she felt at home before this whole ugly mess started. Maureen was a big help, but she could only understand what Mimi was going through to a point.

Five days after they all arrived, everyone was moved in. Mimi had found a part-time job as a salesgirl in a music story (although the job was mostly flirting with customers to get them to buy) and Maureen was singing on the sidewalk next to the apartment building, where she left a hat open and made a killing pretty much every day. Sometimes, Mimi would get off work early and go do a duet. And Roger had found a small, pitiful apartment in the building down the street from where Mimi lived.

It was 8:45, the night of the fifth day in Santa Fe- Mimi had been counting. She secretly hoped to die. Jesse's job had him working 12-9. Roger had had enough.

_Hope she doesn't kill me..... _He thought, as he walked down the street with his guitar case.

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

Roger threw pebbles at Mimi's second-story apartment window. Mimi and Maureen had been on the couch, recounting the details of their pathetic days.

_Stupid idiot...._ Mimi thought at hearing the pebbles. She started to get up to go tell him to stop, but Maureen shook her head. Mimi knew she shouldn't be egging him on, but his persistence was annoying her. She walked to the window and started yelling, only to be silenced by a soft, sweet sound....

_**Human by John Mclaughlin:**_

_Can you tell me how we got in this situation,_

_I can't seem to get you off my mind,_

_all these ups and downs,_

_they trip up our good intentions,_

_nobody said this was easy ride._

_After all we're only human,_

_always fighting what we're feeling,_

_hurt instead of healing,_

_after all we're only human,_

_is there any other reason why we stay instead of leavin' after all_

_Can we get back to the point of this conversation,_

_when we saw things through each others eyes,_

_cause now all I see is ruin and devastation,_

_we all need some place we can hide inside and_

_After all we're only human,_

_always fighting what we're feeling,_

_hurt instead of healing,_

_after all we're only human,_

_is there any other reason why we stay instead of leavin'_

_I'm smart enough to know,_

_that life goes by,_

_and it leaves a trail of broken hearts behind,_

_if you fear of letting go,_

_just give me time,_

_I'll come running to your side,_

_Can you tell me how we got in this situation,_

_I can't seem to get you off my mind cause_

_After all we're only human,_

_always fighting what we're feeling,_

_hurt instead of healing,_

_after all we're only human,_

_is there any other reason why we stay instead of leavin' _

_After all we're only human,_

_always fighting what we're feeling,_

_hurt instead of healing,_

_After all we're only human,_

_is there any other reason why we stay instead of leavin' after all_

_Any other reason_

_to stay instead of leavin'_

_after all..._

Mimi was FED UP.

"You think I'm just gonna melt in your hand, because you go and write me a song?!"

"I was kinda hoping...." Roger said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Shut up. Go away." Mimi said, closing the window.

"Wait!" Roger shouted. Mimi gave him a look. "Ok, now you're just being difficult." He told her.

"What did you expect?! I don't want you here!"

"Well," Roger said. "I knew this wasn't going to be easy..." He started playing again.

_**Half Life by Duncan Sheik:**_

_I'm awake in the afternoon_

_I fell asleep in the living room_

_and it's one of those moments_

_when everything is so clear_

_before the truth goes back into hiding_

_I want to decide 'cause it's worth deciding_

_to work on finding something more than this fear _

_It takes so much out of me to pretend_

_tell me now, tell me how to make amends_

_maybe, I need to see the daylight_

_to leave behind this half-life_

_don't you see I'm breaking down_

_lately, something here don't feel right_

_this is just a half-life_

_is there really no escape?_

_no escape from time_

_of any kind_

_I keep trying to understand_

_this thing and that thing, my fellow man_

_I guess I'll let you know_

_when i figure it out_

_but I don't mind a few mysteries_

_they can stay that way it's fine by me_

_and you are another mystery i am missing_

_It takes so much out of me to pretend_

_maybe, I need to see the daylight_

_to leave behind this half-life_

_don't you see I'm breaking down_

_Lately, something here don't feel right_

_this is just a half-life_

_is there really no escape?_

_no escape from time_

_of any kind_

_come on lets fall in love_

_come on lets fall in love_

_come on lets fall in love_

_again_

_'cause lately something here don't feel right_

_this is just a half-life,_

_without you I am breaking down_

_wake me, let me see the daylight_

_save me from this half-life_

_let's you and I escape_

_escape from time_

_come on lets fall in love_

_come on lets fall in love_

_come on lets fall in love_

_again..._

Roger looked up at her expectantly.

"Oh, whoop-de-doo, another song." Mimi said sarcastically. "You just don't know when to shut up and let it go, do you?"

"Let what go?"

"Me."

"Never."

"You better," a voice said from behind Roger.

Roger felt a strong hand clap him on the back, and nearly push him into a wall.

Mimi got a safe, knowing look on her face and closed the window, retreating inside.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Jesse walked in front of Roger, backing him into the wall.

"Trying to get through to Mimi..." Roger wearily looked up to the window.

"Look, I don't want to hurt you or fight you or whatever, but you need to leave. Seriously. Stop following Mimi, stop showing up here, whatever. Just leave us alone."

"Can't you stay out of this? This is between me and Mimi."

"Mimi is my fiance, soon to be my wife. It's as much my business as it is hers. And you need to back away, and get out of our lives, before I kick your sorry butt back to Scarsdale, ya got that?"

"'Sorry butt'? What, too afraid to use profanity?"

"You little son of a bitch. You need to get the FUCK away from Mimi, and away from all of us, before I sure as hell kick your sorry ASS back to Scarsdale. That better?" Jesse emphasized the words 'fuck' and 'ass' by pushing Roger into the wall as he said them.

"Afraid of competition?" Roger said, getting close to Jesse's face.

"Competition? Hah. Funny, kid. Now go home before you get your ass kicked."

"Get my ass kicked? And who, pray tell, would kick it?"

"Me." Jesse said, as he kneed Roger in the groin. Roger leaned over, then stood up, in an attempt to act tough.

"Oh, I'm real sorry about what happened to your leg." Roger said.

"My leg?"

"Yeah." Roger kicked Jesse as hard as he could in the shin. Jesse winced, and a fight was initiated. A fight that went on till the early hours of the morning.

______________________________________________________________________

"Maureen." Mimi called from her room. It was 1:56 in the morning, and Roger and Jesse were still outside fighting and sparring verbally.

Maureen got up, once again, and went down the hall to comfort the emotional wreck that was Mimi. Jesse was usually there to calm her down, but with him outside, defending her honor, that wasn't really an option.

Maureen helped the lightly sobbing Mimi to the couch and put her arm around her.

"Girlie, you gotta get some sleep..." Maureen said. Mimi hadn't slept well since they arrived in Santa Fe.

"I know-- I'm sorry-- it's just--- so much pressure--...." Mimi said in between sobs.

Maureen started laughing softly.

"What?" Mimi demanded.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking of this song that's really literal right now..."

"Sing it."

_**Breathe (2 am) by Anna Nalick:**_

_2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake,_

_"Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?,_

_I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my season"_

_Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes_

_Like they have any right at all to criticize,_

_Hypocrites. You're all here for the very same reason_

_'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable_

_And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table_

_No one can find the rewind button, girl._

_So cradle your head in your hands_

_And breathe... just breathe,_

_Oh breathe, just breathe_

_May he turned 21 on the base at Fort Bliss_

_"Just a day" he said down to the flask in his fist,_

_"Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year."_

_Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while,_

_But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles,_

_Wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it._

_Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,_

_And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table._

_No one can find the rewind button, boys,_

_So cradle your head in your hands,_

_And breathe... just breathe,_

_Oh breathe, just breathe_

_There's a light at each end of this tunnel,_

_You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out_

_And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again_

_If you only try turning around._

_2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song_

_If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,_

_Threatening the life it belongs to_

_And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd_

_Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud_

_And I know that you'll use them, however you want to_

_But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,_

_And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table_

_No one can find the rewind button now_

_Sing it if you understand._

_and breathe, just breathe_

_woah breathe, just breathe,_

_Oh breathe, just breathe,_

_Oh breathe, just breathe._

"Pretty song." Mimi said.

"I know. Now go to sleep." Maureen stood up and left Mimi there on the couch to sleep; she didn't feel like helping her back to her room. Jesse would probably carry her there later anyway.

______________________________________________________________________

_ok, lame ending, i know, i know, but i updated! yay! i'm planning to update Let's Open Up a Restaurant in Santa Fe tomorrow and O.L.T. the next day, so ya! reviews make me happy. love you!_


End file.
